David Charles has been named president and chief executive officer by the Maui Divers Jewelry board of directors, effective immediately.

Charles has more than 25 years’ experience in the luxury retail industry, most recently as region president Pacific of DFS Group, overseeing divisions in Hawaii, Guam and Saipan.

Charles succeeds Cliff Slater, one of the company’s founders, who has been leading the company for the past year as interim CEO, having left retirement to take up the post.

“David is a successful leader with a track record of growing existing operations and securing new ventures. He has the management experience, passion and innovative thinking to move this company forward,” Slater said, in a statement released Wednesday.

Charles and his family live in Kailua, where he paddles with the Lanikai Canoe Club.